


Things are different.

by LunaDoesIt, Poetess_noire (Pyjamagurl)



Series: Everything is clearer in a Mirror. [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU, Comfort/Angst, M/M, switching things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-10
Updated: 2014-02-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 20:22:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1177516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaDoesIt/pseuds/LunaDoesIt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyjamagurl/pseuds/Poetess_noire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically Stiles gets switched around with a Stiles from a paralel universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things are different.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes at the end.

_Someone has deleted half the numbers in Stiles's phone. He doesn't notice until he takes it out to text Scott, and finds his phonebook half the size it should be._  
  
 _"Damn it, Scott." How many times did he need to tell him that technology needed to be seduced, and not bludgeoned into submission. He has no idea when Scott managed it either. The last time Stiles saw him he was perfectly happy using his own phone to text unimaginative declarations of love to Lydia. He knows half the missing numbers without having to check, slotting them back into his phonebook in quick taps, but he's going to have to snag the rest off Derek's phone._  
  
 _Derek's already late. He said he'd meet Stiles just off the road, but the place is cold and empty, fog curling slowly at head height. Stiles doesn't know how long he's been waiting - he can't quite remember when he got here._  
  
 _Stiles gives it another ten minutes and then phones the house, but the number just rings and rings - and that really makes no sense, because the house is never empty. There's always someone near the phone, usually Peter, because he can never resist the opportunity to mess with whoever's on the other end. Unless they're too far away to hear it - and the only reasons he can think of for that are all bad, so that isn't comforting at all. Stiles frowns at the phone for a second, and then hangs up and bites at his thumbnail. If something happened and no one told him then he's going to be pissed. Falling out of the loop sucks, he's told people to keep him in the loop. Because he worries, it's a thing, that he does._  
  
 _He waits another five minutes, and then decides he'll just meet Derek at the house. It's not that far, and contrary to what his phone seems to think the Hale house is never empty. He'll probably meet someone on the way, or they'll meet him. Or possibly fake-attack him, which never gets old, really. Because Stiles is rubbish at knowing when he's being hunted._  
  
 _He doesn't get that far before Derek finds him, and Stiles is always impressed how he can go from not being there to just suddenly taking up all the space - sometimes Stiles thinks he does it for his benefit. Laura's exactly the same. No, actually Laura's worse, and she knows it. She revels in it._  
  
 _Stiles grins at Derek, but all he gets back is a sort of gloomy stare._  
  
 _"What are you doing here?" Derek stamps towards him, and he doesn't look happy at all, mouth fixed in a tight line._  
  
 _"You were supposed to meet me," Stiles reminds him. "I waited for like twenty minutes. I was worried because you're not normally late unless something horrible is happening, but you didn't text me and - ok, that's a very angry face you're wearing, so I guess you're still mad at me."_  
  
 _"What are you talking about?" Derek says, and, yeah, he's definitely still mad because he's still wearing the scowl from earlier. It looks like it's been there the whole time. He continues crunching through the leaves towards him, and Stiles relaxes the closer he gets._  
  
 _"Did Laura phone you? She said she was going to talk to you, about the thing."_  
  
 _Derek comes to a complete stop and stiffens. Stiles knows that mentioning her isn't really fair, Laura always takes his side, but that's because Laura is awesome. Stiles doesn't think it's just that though, Derek looks - he looks kind of awful in general. Well, as awful as Derek is capable of looking anyway._  
  
 _"Are you ok?" Stiles asks quietly. "You don't look ok."_  
  
 _Derek's a line of tension, angry and strangely brittle._  
  
 _"Hey, come on, talk to me." Stiles steps a little closer and tugs the leather of Derek's jacket straight. But that doesn't even get him a smile, if anything Derek's mouth gets even thinner. "Hey, I said I was sorry and I meant it. I know you have a right to be mad about it, but it's not you. I'm just waiting for the right moment, you're kind of a huge, werewolf-y thing to spring on a parent, and hello, Sheriff."_  
  
 _He shifts his feet and leans forward, presses his mouth to Derek's, and he knows they've been fighting but he's not expecting Derek to catch his elbows and physically shove him back a step. He does it hard enough that Stiles's feet slide on the ground, and Derek's fingers are suddenly bruise-tight on his arms._  
  
 _"What the hell are you doing?" Derek says, stiff and angry._  
  
 _"Ok," Stiles says uncertainly. Because, what the hell? "You're obviously madder at me than I thought."_  
  
 _"Did you hit your head?" Derek asks, but it sounds more like a threat than a question, and Stiles officially has no idea what's going on, none at all._  
  
 _"Did I what? No, no Derek, I didn't hit my head. My God, your mom's right you know, you tend to overreact to things."_  
  
 _Derek looks like Stiles has punched him in the stomach, and the rest of what he was going to say just trails off. Derek looks like he wants to hit him, and sure he can be angry when he needs to be, but Derek has never, never looked at Stiles like that. Before he can react to it, Derek catches Stiles's arm, fingers dug in too hard, more than human hard, and then he drags him - he physically drags him through the leaves - and Stiles is too stunned to do anything for a second. Before he's pulling against the hold, shaking him off and stepping back, breath heaving in his chest. Because Derek doesn't do this, he doesn't use his strength against him, not like this, and it's scaring the crap out of him._  
  
 _"What the hell are you doing, have you gone insane?"_  
  
 _"No, but I think maybe you have." Derek twists Stiles around, and doesn't even catch him when he stumbles, but he ends up facing Derek's house and he can't breathe, he cannot breathe._  
  
 _"Oh my God."_  
  
 _Stiles takes a breath, feels it grate all the way down his throat. Because the Hale house is - the Hale house is a burnt-out wreck. It's a half-collapsed collection of charred wood and ruin, and it looks like it's been that way for years. But Stiles knows that it hasn't, because he was there yesterday. He was there, he was standing in the kitchen drinking orange juice. He feels like he's choking, heart in his throat. "Oh my God. What happened? What's going on?"_  
  
 _He turns back to Derek, and he isn't looking at Stiles like he's gone mad any more. He looks pale and awful._  
  
 _"Derek, what happened?" Stiles asks, thick and soft and fractured. "Why does it look like that? Why does it look like it's been that way for years. I was here yesterday - how did - what the hell is going on?" He's shaking, nails dug into his own palms. This isn't real. This can't be real._  
  
 _Derek doesn't answer, he shakes his head, walks far enough away that Stiles can't hear him, and then calls Scott._  
  
 _Not that it matters because Stiles can't look away from the house. From the ruin of the house. It looks brittle, skeletal, the burns smeared over with age and foliage, and nothing makes sense, nothing at all. The house is gone, the house is - empty. He's shaking, and he can feel it, because this is a place where people died. This is a place where people burned to death. People. Oh my God, this is not happening, this is not happening._  
  
 _"Derek, where is everyone?" Stiles asks. But Derek doesn't answer, he just looks at him, in a way that makes Stiles want to flinch away._  
  
 _He doesn't say another word until Scott stumbles out of the trees, looking like he'd run the whole way._  
  
 _Which is - impossible._  
  
 _Unless. Scott's a werewolf. Oh God. Scott's a werewolf. Only, Stiles saw him six hours ago and that is not possible. When did Scott get bitten?_  
  
 _"Stiles." Scott gets half way to him, and then looks at Derek. "Derek said there was something wrong with you."_  
  
 _"You're a werewolf," Stiles says numbly. "When the fuck did that happen? I saw you six hours ago. Jesus, Scott."_  
  
 _"I told you," Derek says, like Stiles has just confirmed everything._  
  
 _"There is nothing wrong with me," Stiles grates out. "But I'm starting to think there's something wrong with everything else. Why is the house burnt? Where is everyone - and will someone please stop looking at me like I've grown a second head and tell me something?"_  
  
 _Scott frowns at Derek._  
  
 _"Something must have happened to him, everything he knows is wrong." There's so much underneath the anger in Derek's voice, Stiles can feel it, even though he's holding it too tightly to see._  
  
 _"Like hell it is," Stiles says fiercely. "You're the one who's been replaced by a pod person. Call Laura, her number's in my phone." Stiles tosses Scott his phone, but he doesn't even attempt to catch it. He just lets it hit him and fall, staring at Stiles with a horrified sort of confusion. He does finally crouch to pick it up, scrolls through Stiles's phonebook._  
  
 _"Oh my God - Derek - Derek, do you recognise that number?" Scott asks, and he looks so awkward about holding the phone out for Derek to see._  
  
 _Whatever Scott shows him - Derek's face does something painful, and Stiles has never seen anything like it before. He hopes he never has to see it again_  
  
 _"Yeah," Derek says quietly. "That's our old number." He steps back then, folds himself away. He's not looking at Stiles any more._  
  
 _"What's your name?" Scott asks carefully._  
  
 _Stiles glares at him. "Scott, what the hell?"_  
  
 _"Stiles, please just answer the question."_  
  
 _He does, he answers all the questions Scott asks, when he was born, where he went to school, who his friends were, the last two years of his life, something about Chris and Allison Argent - who Stiles has never heard of. It's like they genuinely think he's suffered some sort of terrible head trauma. But Stiles knows he hasn't, knows that he's barely seen anyone all morning. But the house - he doesn't understand why the house looks like that. He doesn't understand why - when Scott got bitten._  
  
 _Some of his answers make Scott frown and look helplessly at Derek, whose mouth is getting tighter and tighter. Stiles hadn't even known Derek could look like that. It's freaking him the hell out, and he tries to slip his hand into Derek's without thinking about it - but Derek jerks away from the contact, shoves his hands into his pockets instead. Scott catches the movement, and his face - his face tells Stiles exactly what Derek's body language has been doing since he got here. That he isn't supposed to be doing that. He isn't supposed to be touching him. That maybe people don't touch Derek, at all._  
  
 _"This is a hallucination, right?" Stiles says thinly. "The same thing that happened last Summer with the witches, where they made Jackson think he was a zombie, and we had to drive all over town looking for him."_  
  
 _They're both looking at him like they have no idea what he's talking about. Like they have no idea who he is any more._  
  
 _"Come on, seriously, this really isn't funny." Stiles can feel cold sweat crawling across the back of his neck, because clearly something is very wrong, something is wrong and he has a horrible feeling that it'shim._  
  
 _"I think we should take you home," Scott says, and his eyes are moving between Stiles and Derek. He steps forward and wraps a hand round Stiles's arm. "Come on man, I'll take you home, we'll sort this out."_  
  
 _Stiles wants to protest, he wants to stay and demand they tell him what's going on, but he gets the feeling things will only get worse. Though he's not sure there is anything worse than what he's thinking._  
  
 _"Yeah," Stiles hears himself say. "That might be a good idea." Because he kind of needs to see something familiar._  
  
 _His mom got off shift an hour ago, she should be back from the station by now._

<><><  
  
Home had been a terrible idea.  
  
Stiles panic attack caused him to crash down at the porch. What the heck was wrong with this world? And what had happened? ‘Breathe, stupid. Breathe.’ He told himself. ‘Slow in. Force the air out.’ He forced his nails in his palms again, trying to get a grip on his life.   
  
So many things were different that even his ADHD mind had a hard time processing it. To sum it all up. He wasn’t together with Derek. Scott was together with uhm... Allison who? And Scott was a werewolf. Jackson was a werewolf but had a whole different way of getting there. Isaac, Erica, Boyd all were wolves. However somehow Derek’s family was gone? No Talia to talk with, no Nena to share jokes with. No Laura to make fun of Derek with? Was there more that had changed?

The worsted of all... his mother had died and in this universe his dad was still alive and the sheriff and knew about werewolves. It was great to see his Dad again, older yes but alive. It was freaking amazing. But his mother?   
  
Mom.... Stiles breathing had levelled out but now the pain of losing his mother crashed down on him. No... no... no. It just couldn’t be real. Tears started streaming down his face. Somebody sat down next to him but Stiles didn’t acknowledge it until Scott started talking.   
“Look. I don’t know what is going on. But you are still Stiles. And you are safe here.”   
  
The sound of two people whispering drifted towards them through the open door. Derek and his ugh... father, Stiles could hardly think it, were talking about him. Stiles only understood parts of it. “.....think it’s real? – Real for him. – Maybe.... process... death of his mother? – Can be... - Don’t understand.... – but maybe...- What if its real?”   
Stiles wiped away his tears and stood up. “I’m right here!” He yelled. “And I’m not crazy. I woke up and a lot of things were different. So many things are mixed up.”  
Stiles felt Scott’s hand on his shoulder. “Stiles. Calm down.”  
  
“How? How can I calm down? I’m not crazy. I’m telling you.... I’m not having a mental break down or anything. It’s....” 

Derek walked up to him, closely followed by Stiles’s father and looked him square in the eye. “We know. It’s real. To you. So for the sake of this argument let’s say you didn’t found our old phone number on one of your web searches. And let’s say you know darn well that if this would be a joke, you’d have definitely taken it too far by now. Let’s say it’s real. You fell asleep and then what? What do you remember?”

  
Stiles felt uncomfortable under Derek’s stare. This Derek wasn’t tuned into the emotions running across his face. Even more so, this Derek seemed to have a hard time with emotions, period. But deep down Stiles had to believe that this Derek would trust him. That Derek would trust Stiles enough to tell the truth.  
  
The Sheriff had made them all sit down inside, as Stiles told his story. How he’d woken up in the jeep, to find half of the numbers in his telephone erased. None of them interrupted him but Stiles could see how the three of them had a hard time believing him.   
  
When he stopped talking, stopped telling them what exactly was different from what he believed to be true it was silent. Derek got up slowly and sighed a little. “So my parents, my sisters... they are still alive?” Derek’s voice broke and Stiles ached to get up and comfort him. However he knew this Derek would not appreciate it so he just nodded. “Yes.” 

“Laura? Cora? Nena? My brothers? My Cousins?” Derek’s voice was shaky.  Stiles felt his cheeks go red. “Uhm... I haven’t met all of your extended family yet but everyone who lives at your house and the biggest part of the extended pack. Yes they are alive. I mean, your parents are great. My mom and I have been at your house for various dinners.” In his peripheral vision he saw his dad flinch at the mention of his mother. 

“But Cora...” Stiles hesitated. Derek flung around and only his glare made Stiles go on. “Cora died in a car accident six months ago. You all have taken it really hard but you are ok, now. You know, because of the pack thing. The hugging and touching and such.”  
  
Scott bit his lip and then spoke softly. “I’m sorry but I think this is all too much details.” Derek looked at Scott. “You believe him?”   
“Yes. If he made this up, as you pointed out he wouldn’t have taken it this far. And if something, or someone, messed with his mind there wouldn’t be so many details. So that just leaves one option. Somehow there is an alternate universe and this Stiles has swapped places with our Stiles?” Scott sounded a little unsure with that last remark, as if he also found it hard to believe. 

  
“Ok. Let’s keep this between the four of us. Nothing to Isaac or Allison, ok Scott?” Derek said.   
  
Stiles stared up at this pained and angry Derek. Was he always like this? Because his Derek would never ignore him in a decision. He wouldn’t flat out ask Stiles opinion all the time; Stiles would usually just give it. But Derek would never cease to give Stiles that stare just before Derek made a statement. That deep connection they shared was almost at its strongest in those moments. At the Hale house all listened to their shared opinion, everyone considered every word Derek spoke. They valued it. Even Talia did.

Suddenly something occurred to Stiles. The memory of Talia’s red eyes made him think about it. “Are you... Are you an Alpha? Derek?” He breathed.   
Derek looked at Stiles with a mingle of contemplation, worry and pain on his face. He didn’t really answer but let his eyes glow red. “Let’s go to Deaton.” Derek then said.  
  
*  
  
Stiles wrapped his arms around himself leaning into one of the cabinets. He stared at Deaton who had spread at least eight books across the counter. Deaton had told them that it was possible. That he hadn’t truly believed it until now, but that there indeed were different universes. And that some freaky thing could have switched out the Stiles and that they were going to have to find a way to turn it back around. And that was all Scott and Derek had needed to engage themselves in finding solution. Both of them reading a book Deaton had handed to them. The Sheriff had left after a few hours, because he didn’t think he could do anything useful.   
  
Stiles was cold. And he was hungry. After waking up in his car he hadn’t eaten or rested. He just fell into this weird rollercoaster ride and it kept hustling him around. And the one person who would’ve been able to ground him, at least a little was the last person apparently he would be able to go to. Stiles felt the magnetism he always sensed when he was close to Derek. He could feel his skin crawling. It needed the touch. A sob crept up through his chest. It was out before he could push it back.  
  
Three pair of eyes looked up. Scott closed his book slowly. “You guys want to order Chinese?” Deaton nodded but then got back to his reading. Scott walked out to the front desk to apparently order Chinese. But Derek closed his book as well and walked up to Stiles.   
At first he didn’t speak but Stiles noticed how Derek’s eyebrows knit together, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’m sorry we didn’t believe you immediately. We should have known you wouldn’t lie about something like this.”   
Stiles tried to smile. “Yeah well if any of you had suddenly appeared in my life time I probably would have had the same reaction.”  
Derek snickered. “Nope. You probably would have believed it instantly, running here to get things sorted out.” Stiles smiled at that. This Derek knew him well. Though he probably would have talked to Talia instead of Deaton but he wasn’t going to mention that to this pained Derek.  
  
“So... you and I. We...” Derek started. Stiles put his tongue in his cheek trying to hide another smile. “Yup.” He said. It was silent for a few heartbeats before Derek tried again. “How? I mean when did...” Stiles turned to him and raised his eyebrows. “Do you really want to know?” Derek’s dark features seemed to darken even more. “No. I guess not.”

The unexpected touch of Derek’s warm hand gliding down his bare under arm left Stiles wanting. It seemed to surprise Derek as much as it did Stiles.   
“I’ve seen you look at me all day. It’s annoying and confusing for me, so it must be weird to you as well. But look... I’m sorry I can’t... we can’t...” Derek stammered. Stiles forced a grin. “Yeah. I know. It’s ok.” But they both knew it wasn’t.  
  
Scott interrupted their conversation. “Food will be here in half an hour.” Derek stepped around Stiles back to the table and found Deaton looking at them, intrigued. “Have you found something?” Derek asked.  
  
*  
  
Stiles turned and turned. He punched his pillow into submission and sighed. His bed was the same. His room was mostly the same. Even the house was partly the same but this life wasn’t. He wished he could go to sleep and everything would be back to normal.   
He knew it wasn’t an option but he yearned for it. He had gotten used to Derek sneaking inside and holding him tight in the event of something life shattering like this happening to him. Breathing and mixing their scent. Pressing kisses into his neck and on his collarbone.  
Stiles pushed himself up. Dreaming about Derek wouldn’t do him much good. It would only make it worse when he was facing Derek again tomorrow.   
Deaton and Scott were still working through various legends but Derek had brought him home. ‘You look tired.’ He had said. Stiles really had wanted to help but he found his mind still a mess from this whole ordeal so he had agreed to go home. But now he regretted it. Not in the least because it still felt weird that his Dad was coming home in a few hours and not being able to talk to his mother.  
  
Stiles woke up by the continuous beeping of his phone. “Yeah?” He growled. “Dude, wake up. We found something.” Scott yelled in his ear.  
  
*  
  
“Hold up. We need a mirror?” Stiles asked. Deaton nodded. “Yes. But it’s a special one. I know Derek’s parents had it.”

   
Scott seemed on edge, but then again he hadn’t slept all night. “But what if that mirror was destroyed in the fire?”   
Deaton shrugged. “There are more mirrors. However it will take us a lot more time to find one we can use.”   
Stiles groaned and put his hand to his face. Staying here even longer?  
  
Derek walked in then and Deaton filled him in.  
“Please tell me that mirror is ok?” Scott demanded. Derek’s lack of an answer wasn’t really encouraging. Derek frowned as he finally admitted: “I eh... I broke it and buried the pieces.”   
“You did what?” Stiles asked.  
“The mirror... I crashed it... Buried the shards... I’m sorry I had no idea... I was just pissed at the darn thing, surviving the fire like that. It just hurt me every time I saw the thing. One day I was fed up, got angry and....” Derek didn’t have to go on the pain on his face evident.  
Stiles unconsciously moved into Derek’s space again longing to convey security, love and peace from the hurt by his touch, but he backed up as soon as Derek moved out of his way. This was so hard. Not being able to touch Derek.  
  
“Do you remember where you buried them?” Deaton asked. Derek rolled his eyes. “Of course I remember. I couldn’t get myself to completely destroy the thing because it....” Derek hesitated. “It reminded me of my parents. So I buried it.”   
Scott got excited. “You think it can still be used?” Deaton sighed. “Most shards will have to be there though.”   
“And then what?” Derek asked. “Then we wait for the next rescinding moon.” Deaton answered. 

“That’s it?” Stiles asked, because he got the feeling Deaton was holding something back. “The other Stiles has to be there too.”   
Scott sighed at Stiles’s confused look. “Our Stiles in your universe has to have come to the same conclusion. And he has to be there on the other side of the mirror. That way you can switch and both go back to your universe.”  
  
*  
  
They didn’t make it. The next rescinding moon was that night. Deaton was already gathering the herbs needed for a circle around the mirror. But he needed something that wasn’t on hand.   
Derek was letting the Pack and Peter in on the whole story, something like this was too hard to hide anyway. They were going to excavate the mirror but then they had to wait for four weeks.   
  
Stiles was pacing around in his room. Was the other Stiles there tonight? He had no idea if Talia still owned the mirror, though he could remember a mirror in the master bedroom. Had they come to the same conclusion? Were they waiting for him to appear? Tonight was the night it was possible to go back and it felt wrong not to be able to act on that.   
  
Four weeks in this world? What would that mean? What would it do to him?  
  
*  
  
Normalcy. Going to school, do homework seemed to work the best for Stiles. Weirdly enough most of his courses were at the exact same page as he remembered. But he wasn’t in cooking class here. 

Stiles ignored the Pack as much as was possible because it felt weird. Especially Scott. His best friend being a werewolf still hurt Stiles. Not the werewolf part, but the fact he hadn’t really been there for Scott. The other Stiles had but he hadn’t.  
  
He was sure the Pack kept an eye on him though. He could sense it. At school or at home. Stiles had learned that from being in close contact with Derek’s family so much the last year. He could also differentiate between the people that were Pack here and when Derek was nearby. Stiles felt like the core of his being was stretching outward to the person just outside of the house.   
  
He had gotten a text message from Deaton that the mirror had been restored as much as was possible and was in place at the Hale house.   
Stiles tried to avoid his Dad as well. He didn’t really want to become attached to his father only to have his heart broken by the loss again when he would leave.  
  
However after two weeks Stiles felt so empty and lonely, devoid of Derek’s love, devoid of conversations with Scott, devoid of Hale family touches, he almost cried himself to sleep. Another two weeks of this and he would be a wreck when he finally got home. 

*

Sunday he felt another panic attack coming. Stiles was sitting on the swing on the porch of his house when his vision started to swim and his breathing became erratic.   
  
Suddenly a hand was on his neck, comforting him. Stroking up and down his spine, pushing his head between his legs.   
“It’s ok.” A gruff voice told him. “It will be ok. Just breathe.” Stiles mind went blank for a moment. Derek. He was here, he was comforting him. After all these days having to do without it he marvelled at how it good it felt having Derek’s hand connecting them again. Though it didn’t mean the same to this Derek, it did to him. Stiles felt like sobbing but pushed it back after his breathing had returned to normal.  
  
Derek sat down next to Stiles. There was only silence but the squeaking of the porch swing. After a while Stiles said: “Thank you for this.” Derek nodded but didn’t speak. He seemed fretful and worried but not uncomfortable. Stiles wished that this Derek would talk to him. 

So after a few more minutes Stiles decided he would ask a question, maybe to get Derek to open up. “Do I smell the same?” He wondered.   
Derek didn’t seem surprised. “yes and no.” He paused before elaborating. “You smell like Stiles. But you also smell weird, like wearing my shirt backwards. It’s not completely strange but just off.” Derek fell silent.   
Stiles yearned for an acknowledgement and whispered. “Do I.. Do I smell like us?” Derek didn’t answer for a very long time. “Yes.” He then huffed. 

  
Stiles folded his arms and made his nails dig into his own skin. He knew he had to control himself around Derek but the not touching thing almost became unbearable.   
Suddenly Derek sighed, scooted over effectively closing the distance of two inches between them. He shrugged his shoulder indicating Stiles was allowed to lay down. Stiles was deeply surprised but he didn’t care. He slowly put his head down and revelled in the feeling of his head connecting with Derek’s upper arm and shoulder.   
“Not that I’m complaining, because I’m not. But why?” Stiles carefully asked.  
Derek didn’t speak at first instead he lifted his arm and let Stiles further into his embrace. Then his voice came low. “For one it’s a pack thing. Although I didn’t touch our Stiles this way he was Pack and that means the touching. I missed him. And if I missed it I’m sure you must miss it even more since you’re in a relationship with....” Derek trailed off. Yeah this was a weird thing to talk about. 

“Besides. I know my family will treat our Stiles very good. I want to extend the same courtesy to you. I don’t want you to feel lonely anymore.” Stiles closed his eyes and inhaled Derek’s scent. Even for a human nose this was definable. He didn’t know how long they sat on the porch like that but it was dark when Derek woke him up to get inside.   
  
*  
  
In the next week Stiles was picked up by Isaac every day after school and together they drove to Pack meetings. Stiles didn’t engage in the meetings but he got the hugs he needed. And after that Derek brought him home, night after night wrapping him in a close hug, nuzzling his neck for a moment before Stiles went back into the house again.  
  
The day’s crept slowly but eventually it was Wednesday. Full Moon. The night passed almost without a hitch, the pack coming back to Derek’s loft at dawn. Isaac and Jackson were the first to flunk down together, dropping down on Derek’s bed. Soon Erica and Boyd joined them. After a few hours even Scott and Allison wriggled themselves in between the covers and limbs.  
  
Stiles sat at the kitchen counter, hugging a cup of coffee. Derek joined him, touching Stiles arm briefly. Derek told him about the run tonight and Stiles mentioned something uncomfortable about the Hale family. Stiles was glad they were at the loft though because he wasn’t sure if he could manage being at the burned down ruin.  
  
After Derek had downed his coffee and Stiles had poured himself a new one Derek sat down next to him. Stiles knew Derek had something on his mind. Though this Derek was much more broody than his Derek, he could still see the need in Derek’s eyes. The need usually faded after they had talked. Stiles saw how Derek’s fingers clutched the mug so tight Stiles was afraid it might break. He glanced at his own hand. Then stretched out to Derek’s and slowly he fondled with Derek’s fingers until Derek had let the mug go. Stiles kept caressing Derek’s hand. Feeling his warmth. 

“I have to ask.” Derek’s voice came sudden and unsure. Stiles nodded but kept quiet. “Do you know... Those years ago, what happened in your time?” It took Stiles a moment before he realized Derek was asking about the fire. “I know there hasn’t been a fire. But me.... what happened to me?”

Stiles looked up at Derek’s profile. The muscles in his jaw twitched. Stiles couldn’t resist and for a moment touched Derek’s cheek.  
“I mean, Kate was my first. And she used me to get to my family.”

Stiles nodded. “I understood something like that from Scott last night.”

Derek looked at Stiles expectantly his eyes so full of emotion Stiles felt like sobbing. “You haven’t told me everything about your past. I mean we talk a lot but you kind of avoid details.” Stiles snorted. “But I do know that indeed your family is still there and...uhm... You had a fling with a girl from your class three years ago. Other than that I was your first. I don't know anyone named Kate. Your family has delt with hunters, various times. But no one has touched you or your family.” 

Derek pulled back a little and then stepped down of the stool forcing Stiles to let go of Derek’s hand. “Thank you.” Derek grumbled. And then: “Go to bed and get some sleep.” Stiles swallowed and turned starting to walk toward the sleeping area.  
  
All of sudden a pair of warm hands spun Stiles around and pushed him against the wall. Derek pushed himself flush against Stiles. Stiles’s heart started beating fast but he didn’t get a real chance to think about it. Derek cupped Stiles’s face between his hands and pressed his lips against Stiles lips. Stiles had missed this so much he couldn’t help himself. He moaned softly and opened his mouth. The kiss turned more intense but then Stiles’s eyes flew open and he started pushing against Derek’s chest.  
  
Derek probably realized what he was doing because he seemed angry and scared as he steps back. Stiles wants to reassure him. “It’s good. The kiss is good. But this is all so confusing.” Stiles started to smile. “Dude. I’m cheating on you with... you.” That even brought out a smile on Derek’s face. “Do you feel something though? For me or uhm the other me?” Derek looked down at his shoes, clenches his fists because apparently he doesn’t want to answer.

As usual Stiles cannot stay silent. “I mean, I know what I feel for the other Derek is real. But you two didn’t make the link so ......” Stiles doesn’t know how to go on.   
Then Derek looks up, desperate. “It’s there. Underneath it all, it simmers. Even when I’m a full out wolf I can feel it. The wolf is into him too, so to speak. But for many reasons I’ve suppressed it. One of which is that he has no clue. I think....” It takes a few minutes before Derek goes on. “And we have some kind of friendship and trust and I do not want to ruin that. Besides he, you, were pining for Lydia for years.”   
Stiles blinks at Derek. “Wait, what? Lydia?” Stiles laughs out loud then, running a hand through his hair. Derek raises his eyebrows in question. “Well, that’s certainly different in my universe. I knew pretty quick I swung both ways, if you will. Lydia is one of my best friends and I haven’t looked at her like that since fifth grade. Besides I’m pretty sure Scott was over there before I left. ”  
Stiles swallowed. It really was a good thing he was going home tomorrow because all this confusion was giving him headaches. However he really liked a good puzzle and he would love to figure out the puzzle this Derek presented to him.   
  
*  
  
Stiles stared at his reflection when the mirror shards started to glow blue. Derek, Deaton and his father were behind him. Stiles welt weary. This was it. He could go back home. Without warning the light coming from the mirror became heavier, like the air was too thick; and it also became brighter. All of a sudden the whole room was one big sphere of light.   
The image in the mirror suddenly changed. And then he heard his father gasp behind him. On the other side of the mirror was the same room but the room was filled with people. Stiles saw his mother and Scott. There was no sound though.

He heard a sob behind him and turned to find Derek desperate on his knees. Derek raised his hand like he was reaching for the mirror. Because behind the other Stiles, Derek’s parents were there too. The Derek on his side of the mirror made an anguished sound. He got a look at something he would never get back. It really wasn’t fair, Stiles thought. His father and Derek getting the painful end of the stick while he was able to get back to his mother, to his Derek, to his family. 

This Derek wouldn’t even get the comfort he so desperately needed.   
  
Stiles turned around for a second and then Deaton nodded. The other Stiles walked up to the mirror as well. Suddenly he saw somebody reach over to that Stiles. The other Derek hugged that Stiles and then gestured to the mirror.   
  
Stiles quickly turned and gave the Derek on his side of the mirror a hug as well. Tears dripping down his cheeks for the hurt this Derek and his father were going through. Then he stepped even closer to the mirror.   
Silence enveloped him then. No people. Just blue light. He thought he might meet the other Stiles. Get to talk to him but there was nothing. He didn’t know how long it was supposed to take. He felt a little queasy. But just when he started to worry he heard a sound like somebody was vacuum cleaning his head and then he was on the other side of the mirror.   
  
His heart clenched at the sight of his family. He got buried in a simultaneous hug from Derek and his mother. “Hi.” Derek whispered in his ear. “I’ve missed you.” Stiles’s emotions were all over the place but he smiled at Derek breathing easy for the first time in four weeks. Talia found him next, but before the rest of the family could claim him he turned around. Worried about the Derek he left behind, frustrated that he felt this torn. 

He stared through the mirror. He saw the other Stiles hug his father. It triggered something in Stiles. His father had asked him to tell his mother something. He would but he kept focussing on the other Derek. Talia stared with him. A torn expression on her face as well. Because her son was right here but the Derek on the other side seemed so alone and lost. 

Then the Stiles on the other side of the mirror sank to his knees next to Derek. His own Derek hugged him from behind and Stiles utterly enjoyed how the whole world made sense again.

“We talked. A lot.” Derek told Stiles. “He knows how we feel about each other. He promised my mom to take care of Derek at the very least. Do you know.... Will they have what we have?” Stiles looked through the mirror as he saw how that Stiles cupped Derek’s face and kissed the tears of his face. Then he smiled, grabbed the arm of his Derek a little tighter and said: “I think they will.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know I know. Might not be the most original titles ever. :-)
> 
> So I found two great fics on LiveJournal made by entangled_now and poetess-noire. 
> 
> The originals are here: http://poetess-noire.livejournal.com/42181.html  
> and here: http://libraryofsol.livejournal.com/199174.html#cutid1
> 
> I wrote the follow up on both those stories. And with their permission I put it up on LJ. (THANK YOU both for that!) Since I don't work with Live Journal much I decided to put it up here as well!  
> The parts written in Italic are not mine but theirs. If you like the originals or my follow up please tell us. 
> 
> Please ignore (or send me correction) for spelling or gramar mistakes because I have no Beta. 
> 
> The other side of the mirror will be up soon. Enjoy!


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